Gate-latch



(No Model.) v

J. J. WRIGHT.

GATE LATCH. A

No. 406,495. Patented July 9, 18894.

L I 13A/.ga uw mAb/LAM, l (MMM UNITEDr STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOI-IN JACKSGN WRIGHT, OF BREMEN, INDIANA.

GAT E'- LATC H SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iratent No. 406,495, dated July 9, 1889.

p Application filed February 19, 1889. Serial No. 300,512. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J AcKsoN WEIGHT,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Bremen, in the county of Marshall and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gravity-Latches and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. This invention relates to improvements in that class of latches known as gravitating latches, and is more particularly adapted for use upon gates.

The novelty will be fully understood from t-he following description and claim, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a gate with my improvements applied. Fig'. 2 is a pan view ofthe same, and- Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line w o: of Fig.V l.

Referring by letter to the said drawings, A indicates a gate, which may be of any ordinary or approved construction, and B indicatesthe latchpost.

C indicate metallic plates, which are of a construction substantially as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and secured, respectively, to the front of the forward post or rail of the gate.

-These plates O are cut away in one of their longitudinal edges, as shown at a, so as to form upper and lower shoulders Z9, and these shoulders are design ed to extend laterally on opposite sides ofthe said post of the gate, so as to limit the upward and downward movement of the gravitatin g latch.

D indicates the latch, which is composed of a transverse latch-bar d, which is provided at its central point, in its lower edge, with a notch e, adapted to straddle the latolrstub EA on the post B. This latch-bardhas its lower edge inclining from the notch e in opposite directions, as shown at f, for a purpose which will be presently explained. This latch-bar has its opposite ends terminating in handle portions g, whereby the said latch may be manipulated to lift the notch out of the latch-` stud. Extending rearwardly from the central portion of this latch-bar g are two parallel arms h, formedintegral with the said bar and provided at their inner ends with eyes, as shown, whereby they may be pivotally secured on opposite sides of one of the gate-rails 1l. It will thus be seen that the two branches or arms h, which are pivoted to the said gaterail, are limited in their raising and lowering movements by the shoulders on the plates C.

The latch stud or lug E may be of any ordinary construction and secured to the inner side of the latch-post.

A latch of this construction is very durable and not liable to get out of order, and maybe manufactured at a very small expense.

I am aware of the patent granted December l1, 1883, No. 290,176, in which a latch is pivoted to a looped guide-plate bearing studs or lugs, the latch having a notch to receive a lug on the gate-post and its branches inclined in opposite directions from said notch, and a vertically-movable lever employed to lift the latch, and therefore do not claim anything set forth therein. i

. Having described my invention, what I claim is The combination, with a gate-`post having a latch-stud, of the gate having the plates C, secured to the forward .vertical rail thereof, and having the cut-out portion o, and shoulders to form upper and lower stops, and the gravitating latch composed of the parallel arms pivoted at their inner ends to the opposite sides of the gate, and the integral latchbars at their opposite ends having a central notch, as shown, and inclined on its lower edge in opposite directions from said notch and terminating in handle portions, substan- 

